


You cannot take it back, make it undone - hitchhiker's guide to the headcanons

by Dark_Falcon



Series: You cannot take it back, make it undone [2]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien Culture, Alien Gender/Sexuality, Nonfiction, Saiyan Culture, Saiyans, headcanons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-12 07:58:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16869130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dark_Falcon/pseuds/Dark_Falcon
Summary: world-building, meta and character background for my story You cannot take it back, make it undone.





	1. Saiyan Anatomy

**Author's Note:**

> crosssposted from Tumblr.  
> I will probably revise this later, but it is currently unknown how long Tumblr will last and I want to preserve what I already have.

some of my headcanons about Saiyan anatomy - mainly skull:

-facial part is longer, nasal cavity is bigger in comparison to humans, but human face is flatter - the part of skull with nose and mouth is more pronounced in Saiyans, the jaw longer, leaving more place for teeth, teeth are bigger and sharper, but it’s mostly only noticeable in case of fangs, Saiyans have pronounced chin like humans. Also they have one more tooth on each side, like new world monkeys.

-facial part looks like a fusion between human and capuchin skull, neurocranium looks a lot like human, at least on the outside, there may be some small differences at points, but general shape and size (in proportion to the rest of the body are the same). The topography of the inside of neurocranium may be different but I can’t exactly say how

\- parts of the brain responsible for sensory processing are bigger and denser as well as parts responsible for spatial awareness (that is probably not proper scientific vocabulary, I’m not on this field, nor is English my first language), but language processing centres and parts responsible for empathy are relatively smaller. This is okay, it doesn't make Saiyans less capable of empathy or language, they can learn exceptionally fast and have better memory than humans, though they may have less inborn aptitude for those things. Socialisation is the problem here, especially with the empathy. On the other hand experience allow Saiyans to develop even more sensory processing (that goes both with having sharp senses and with living in the culture that creates appropriate patterns of interpretation for sensory impulses) and spatial awareness (it’s because they can fly early on)

\- Saiyans only learn to talk when they are about three years old. It is physically impossible for them to learn to pronounce sounds earlier - an evolutional adaptation, that prevents them from choking on the food they gobble. But they understand language much earlier. This inability corresponds with the size of language processing centers in the brain. 

\- Ears can have varied looks. They partly have the structure of a human ear, but auricle is shaped more like a Capuchin, marmoset or a mandrill. I don’t have explanation for that other I may want to allow myself some artistic variety in case of drawing Saiyans. 

\- I’d say Saiyans generally resemble capuchins and other monkeys of this family (not baboons, I just like to call them that  for lulz). Prehensile tail makes them similar to new world monkeys, like capuchins (baboons are old world monkeys and don’t have prehensile tails). But they have nails not claws, so they are like capuchins, not like marmosets (marmosets and such have claws). Also I’m not a primatologisct so there may be monkeys that share closer resemblance to Saiyans than capuchins (but it’s appropriate to settle for them due to association between capuchins and pirates presents in our culture).

\- Prehensile tail suggests they evolved in a jungle environment (or one that has similar spatial arrangement). Planet Vegeta is a desert. Saiyans come from Planet Salda (or Salada) on it was covered with one hell of a jungle judging by the size of those creatures.

\- there is problem with thermodynamics - Saiyans are so big they would overheat in the warm environment, even in their standard forms, which I think are about 10% bigger than homo sapiens sapiens on average. I don’t know what to do about it because they obviously can handle heat just fine.

\- I’ve drawn Raditz and Gohan at the bottom, so it may seem like Raditz explains it to Gohan, but that’s not possible since Raditz doesn’t know shit about human anatomy 


	2. Nest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a response to deve-26 on Tumblr, who was curious about the set up for the nest. Shhe asked if each of the Saiyans have their designated spot, and if so, what items are there?

Thanks. Drawing Raditz cook is quite hard, because how is even the layout of the kitchen? I mean the layout is not that important story wise, so I did not develop it so well. But yeah, we know there is counter on some sort near the stove, and that there is a big pot on the stove. But it’s a big kitchen, once used for feeding many people with different dietary requirements, so of course there are other stoves and counters in there. Plenty of cooking utensils and so on. 

As for the nest - no the Saiyans are usually not that particular where they sleep. Items of the lining get rearranged often, either for comfort or during the cleaning. But the arrangement can differ depending on who are the Saiyans that are sharing the nest and what are the circumstances, moods, etc. 

Planet Vegeta was mostly cold deserts. It was often quite chilly during the day, it was freezing in the nigh time. And there was very little fuel. Customary Saiyans sleep together for warmth. Their nests used to have tents over them to keep the warmth inside.  

The nest on the Station Theta is lined with all sort of items Saiyans found on their travels. Some of those items had been taken during purges, but most had been brought from some or other interstellar market, or in case of pelts come from animals Saiyans hunted for food. 

Raditz has brought most of those things, since he is responsible for arranging the living for this group of Saiyans. But Nappa also had brought some, because that is the sort of things Saiyans did in the old days. Vegeta did not care. He has a separate nest in his quarters, because he has his issues and does not like to share. However when Raditz brings new items, Vegeta gets the firs pick. Than Raditz and Nappa put in their nest things they like most, and the rest, less desired items land on the floor. 

As for the question if they have favourite objects, they sort of do. Nappa has this ridiculous, pink, feather boa, he tends to wrap himself into (Vegeta positively hates that thing). The smell of feathers reminds Nappa of the smell of creatures, that used to dwell near his old house. Raditz has this sort of shawl or blanket he likes to sleep on. It doesn’t look like anything special, but the natural scent of those threads reminiscent the smell of spices you could find of planet Vegeta, although it is very weak and seems to be washed out. Gohan quickly found his own thing. It’s a plush animal. It looks like six legged rhino, but uglier. He likes it because it reminds him of items that are meant for children back on Earth. It seems familiar to him. Plus, it’s something he can hug or hold into. He tens to grab it when he is alone in the nest.

(Nappa and his treasure boa)

(and here you have Gohan hugging the toy, Raditz probably reflecting his life choices and Nappa sleeping like a baby in the background + not a very accurate representation of the nest, maybe I'll try to draw it someday properly).

If Raditz, Gohan and Nappa sleep together during a mission, Gohan always sleeps between Raditz and Nappa, because he is a cub and they are in the hostile environment. But back on Station Theta he can sleep where he likes, because it’s safe.

 

Here is the sketch sheet that started the the conversation with deva-26 


	3. Some notes on Saiyan way of life

Those are my assumption - I build around them the story - they do not necessarily correspond to how Saiyan culture was intended to be in the original Dragon Ball, though I take inspiration from the show.

for the warning: there is sexual violence discussed somewhere in there.

* * *

\- Saiyan culture was not based around small family units like modern western societies or even large familial groups or kinship groups like many other human societies. Instead Saiyans used to live in groups they called Houses, because they inhabited the same dwelling. Such group counted around 40 to 180 Saiyans. Houses had little to do with blood relationships, but children of the House often had at least one parent in the same House, usually mother, and some siblings or more likely half siblings. Non-Saiyan people often referred to Houses as packs or troops.  

\- To become part of the house a Saiyan had to be adopted by the House Leaders (in case of common Houses) or a House Chief (in case of elite houses). Babies born by the House members were usually automatically adopted. Children, who came from houses destroyed by a war or children who survived abandonment ritual could also be adopted, the later had about 50% to be readopt by the House they originate from. Also adult and adolescent Saiyans, who either lost their House, were thrown away or chose to live get adopted to the new House. Many Saiyan move from one house to another during adolescence or adulthood.

\- There are differences in culture of Elite and common Houses. Sometimes Houses made alliances and if the alliance included at least one elite house, the chief of hegemonic house was called the king. The first alliance of all the houses had been build to fight the Tuffle war. 

\- A House consist of several hunting parties or war parties. A hunting party basically becomes a war party or a squad  in the times of war. It consists of between 4 to 10 individuals. 

\- Hunting parties come in age groups. There are hunting parties of adults, adolescents and children.

\- Additionally a House is divided into nests. A nest may, but don’t have to be shared by members of hunting party. Again nest are usually divided by age groups.  There are nests for children, adolescents and adults. However it’s not inappropriate to share nest with Saiyans of different age groups. For example children can sleep with adolescents in small houses, if there’s not enough of them to form nests separately or a adult can sleep in the same nest with children when others left the house for war. 

\- There’s ranking of Houses. Older and bigger houses are usually higher in the ranking. Elite houses are above common houses. The higher in the ranking, the better place for living. Houses higher in the ranking have access to more resources. 

\- Existing Houses get destroyed and new Houses are created all the time.

\- There is also ranking within the houses. Stronger Saiyans bully weaker Saiyans. There’s a lot violence between them. 

\- Saiyan version of justice is: let everyone be a warrior. Fighting is seen as a true activity of Saiyans. Fighting is the sense of existence. No one can be denied a chance to fight. 

\- There are 4 types of activities as Saiyans see it: warrior activities (fighting, training, hunting), chores (everything else related to making life of a group possible -  cooking, medicine, making and maintaining things), play (things Saiyans do for fun except fighting related ones; things like dancing, story telling rare artistic craft, and in case of adult Saiyans also sex) and activities for procreation (and that is conceiving, being pregnant, giving birth and  breastfeeding the child).

\- As Saiyans see it sex doesn't have much to do with activities for procreation, although they are perfectly aware of the role of sex in reproductive process.  

\- A person who organizes distribution of both common food and chores around the House is called the host of the House. Sometimes it’s a Saiyan, who is past their best fighting years, but not yet in total decline or a female warrior, who is taking some time away from fighting to have some babies. Sometimes it’s just a Saiyan, who just have a lot of aptitude for this kind of thing.

\- Warrior activities and activities for procreation are regarded as equally important. More social esteem come with those activities. But warrior activities are seen as more pleasurable than activities for procreation. Chores and play are regarded equally in terms of social esteem, but again play is seen as more pleasurable. For that reason chores are often pushed on weaker Saiyans. Of course chores and play are in lesser regard than warrior activities.

\- Procreation activities cannot be pushed on anyone, because it could got in the way of fighting. Saiyans chose to get pregnant only when they don’t expect to face any interesting opponent (or if they really, really want children, but that’s a rare case).

\- In contrast to humans, Saiyans know when they can conceive. They are aware of their fertile phases. As a result there were no unwanted pregnancies among Saiyans.

\- Being a bearer of children is not a role pushed on Saiyans, but it’s a one they occasionally take. A childbirth is comparable to mayor battle in terms of social esteem and an increase of power comes to Saiyans after pregnancies. However it’s an option that is only available for female Saiyans. 

\- As a result there are no gender roles and gender identities in Saiyan culture (this also means there are no gendered narratives of domination and sexual violence is rare in comparison to modern western societies). However Saiyans, like humans can suffer body dysphoria, although the condition does not occur in their population as often as in human. Additionally Saiyans who would for some reason be subjected to socialisation in gendered culture, like Earth’s culture, could very likely start identifying themselves as transgender or nonbinary. 

\- Parents usually don’t rise their children. There are no obligations between Saiyan father and child and any obligations a mother has end when she stops breastfeeding. Usually it’s the older nest siblings, who take care of younger children. 

-Nest siblings are children of the same House, who shared the nest for significant amount of time during the childhood. Children of one mother are usually put in the same nest. Cousins or fraternal siblings may be also put together if such relationship is known. Adult Saiyans who share a nest aren’t considered nest sibling (unless they used to share the nest as children as well)

\- Leaders of the House are tasked with responsibility of children of the House. They are under obligation to ensure survival of the child and their development as a warrior (Leaders usually set some other, less esteemed Saiyans to fulfil this task).  To a certain extent children are protected. They are excluded from casual wars or they can fight only other children in blood wars (they can’t be attacked by adults or adolescents). Moreover children are given some food provided by adults without having to contribute to common food pool of the House, although children also have to look for the food on their own. 

\- It is socially acceptable for Saiyan adults to punish a child, especially if one of the House leaders or a person assigned to supervise the kids decides to do it. But adults or adolescents are not suppose to go around bullying the children. Ones that do, are seen as scum. However if a child bullies younger and weaker child adults think it’s natural order of things and don’t intervene too much. 

\- If a child is weak, they are abandoned to save resources for other children. The decision about abandonment is made by Leaders of the House. Once Saiyans started space faring they've begun to send children to foreign planets instead. Children who survived it are readopted. 

\- Although it’s children, who primarily care for other children, adult House members participate in lives of children as well. They teach children, do chores together and they play a lot. If the children are out, there are usually adults or adolescents nearby in case of emergencies.

\- Most Saiyan kids either only know who their mother is don’t their know parents at all. Most adults don’t care whose children live in the house. Saiyans that are more inclined to working with children would take more of “parenting” role than the actual parents. Mothers who happen have inclinations towards working with children usually form warm relationships with their offspring. It may happen with fathers too, if they actually know which child is theirs, but otherwise they make closer relationships with children similar in character or ones who show similar interests. 

\- However children do identify with their parents and try to model themselves after them, if they know them, especially if the parent is a powerful warrior. Since most children simply don’t know, who their father is, the ones who do, regard this fact as something significant. Such kids may be disappointed if the father in question is not very inclined towards working with children.

\- There is no marriage and no idea of romance in Saiyan culture. Saiyans have multiple sexual partners during their lives, except the ones who do not want any sex at all or those who only do it for procreation. There is no prejudice against sexual contacts between what humans call same sex couples and no prejudice against sexual activities between more than two Saiyans at once. But any sexual activity between an adult and an individual who is not fully sexually mature yet is strictly forbidden (and punished by death of the offending adult). Sexual relations between known blood relatives and between nest siblings are also against customs as well as relationships between people with really big age difference if they originated from the same house. 

\- Basically all Saiyan sexual relationships are transparent. If one Saiyan had sex with another Saiyan all other Saiyans in the House know about it (because they can smell it). There is no shame about it and sexual themes can be openly discussed. However Saiyans don’t talk about sex that much. When they do, it’s mostly it in order to educate younger Saiyans how to have sex safely, to explain facts of life to children or to discuss what they want to do with the prospective partner. In Saiyan consciousness there is no sense danger connected to sexuality, no domination. Sexual activities between Saiyans are seen as purely cooperative. 

\- Violent rape is seen as cowardly tactic of the war, as a way of torture. If rape happens in the House the offending party is seen a a traitor to the House and executed. Unfortunately Saiyans don’t conceptualise more subtle forms of sexual violence, and although it’s relatively rare it goes unpunished. 

\- Saiyans tend to prefer sexual partners, who are similar in age and power. But for the sake of conceiving Saiyan females sometimes seek more powerful partners.  

\- For their know history Saiyans lived in conditions of scarcity. For that reason weak, ill and old were abandoned. Old or permanently crippled  Saiyans, who could no longer fight left for the desert (to die). However Saiyans always take care of their wounded if there is chance of recovery, and disabled Saiyans, who can still fight (or, in case of females in reproductive age, have children) get help with other activities. In truth many heroes of Saiyan legends are disabled and disabled warriors enjoy great esteem. 

\- Saiyans have little respect for non-warriors. Non-warriors are seen as ones who took lesser way of life - Saiyans call such people servants or slaves, because their resigned themselves on life of doing chores. There is no place for non-warriors in Saiyan Houses.  

\- Social organization changed dramatically after the war with Tuffles. Earlier they lived essentially in stone age. 

\- The Tuffles did not enslave the Saiyans and never caused them much harm directly, but they barred access to the resources of Planet Plant leaving Saiyans with very little. Tuffles didn't see Saiyans as peers or even potential peers, but Saiyans saw Tuffles as species of servants and hold a lot of resentment for Tuffles’ dominant position on the planet. 

\- Saiyans learn very fast and have excellent memory as well as ability to adapt. However they have some limitations. Many older Saiyans never learned new ways of thinking or conceptualising the world after their culture rapidly advanced after the war with Tuffles. They still were able learn how to operate new equipment and they memorised new facts, but without understanding them. 

* * *

\- Chore are divided into more and less esteemed activities. “Better” chores are the ones connected to preparation of the food, medicine and childcare. “Lesser” chores are cleaning and making things. 

\- There are activities, which have mixed status. A friendly sparring is both play and warrior activity, while mutual grooming of hair is both a chore (medical in nature) and play. Both of those things are essential for establishing and maintaining relationships between Saiyans.

\- Sayans before the war with Tuffles haven’t build much in terms of material culture. Moreover they din’t use much of the technologies for the lack of social organization, even in cases when they had enough access to resources and knowledge (and that was already limited).

\- They weren't much in terms of spirituality. Gods and demons of battlefield were more like personifications of warriors “virtues” rather than supernatural powers. But there were many, many stories. Most of which were bloody.

\- However they developed great medical knowledge and technique of the body. They only learn actual scientific principles of their knowledge after the Tuffle war.

\- Accumulation of such vast knowledge was possible thanks to much sharper  senses, especially smell and tastes, as well as much quicker reflexes. This allowed Saiyans to make observations humans, Tuffles and most other races could never make. 

\- Additionally they have really good practical knowledge about their environment and the ecology of the Planet and about plants, minerals and animals. Some Saiyans even grow plants, especially medical ones, in the gardens. 

\- No life is Sacred to Saiyans. Not even Saiyan life. However killing an ally is regarded as betrayal and punished by death. Therefore Saiyans don’t kill their House mates or Saiyans from allied Houses. When all the House build and alliance it become a crime to kill other Saiyans... at least without any substantial justification. 

\- Fighting is a thing that makes a life worth something. The better, stronger fighter is an individual is, the more they are worthy in Saiyan eyes.  While Saiyans tend to value physical power, they don’t disregard mental aptitude and they know later can triumph over the former. 

\- Sapience isn't that important in Saiyan way of thinking, that means there is nothing special about beings, who posses it. To a Saiyan people are not inherently better than animals. 

\- Saiyans have the notion of their own superiority (because they are warriors and they are strong) but they don’t have the idea of purity. That means both they don’t have notion of racial purity but also they lack idea of moral purity or moral integrity.

\- The lack of idea of purity comes from the fact that Saiyans don’t have to fear they food is contaminated, since their superior senses let them distinguish good and bad food. 

\- One does not have to carry Saiyan blood to be considered a Saiyan, but lack of tail and ability to turn into a giant monster can be a problem. There are not many precedences, in legends or in the history, of non-Saiyans being adopted by the Houses. If non-Saiyan adoption happens it could be a person as well as an animal. The sole universal rule of Saiyan adoption is that only a warrior or a child can be adopted into the House. Regardless who it is they are treated based on the same rules as every other House mate only distinguished by their position in the House. However it’s true that Saiyans can be very xenophobic. 

\- Elite culture is more concerned with blood relationships and continuity. Elite Houses don’t fall as often as common Houses.

\- Commoners culture s little more egalitarian. Houses are led by all Leaders of adult war parties, who are in touch with their whole parties. Additionally they usually take the counsel of the House Host. Elite Houses are ruled by a chief.

\- To be considered an Elite a Saiyan does not only need to be sufficiently strong, but also be a member of elite House. However elite houses banish weaker members and adopt strong Saiyans from common Houses.

\- If a common House becomes strong enough  it can be recognised as an elite House, but it happens extremely rarely. 


	4. Further notes on Saiyan history and character's background

\- Gine was a fighting prodigy. Her failure as a warrior came from the fact she got easily distracted by her strong empathetic feelings, made worse by the fact she was supposed to fight and kill Tuffles, who looked almost like Saiyan children. She also had comparatively little interest in fighting and getting stronger. Even then she had more than decent power level and excellent technical skills - she could righteously kick ass of other Saiyans. Only reason Bardock outdid her was because of his dedication, hard work and passion. 

\- The use of advanced technologies by the Saiyans is very, very recent. Before the war with Tuffles they all lived in stone hovels or caves on the desserts. Vegeta does not know that. He buys in his fathers propaganda and his own wild idea of who Saiyans were. When Raditz told him about how life looked like when he was little Vegeta assumed that it was how low born Saiyans were living in contrast to the Elites. Nappa never corrected him. It was because Vegeta started to use ‘dirty hovel dweller’ as an insult against Raditz, and Nappa didn’t want to be looked down upon. Generally Nappa does not correct much of Vegetas delusions. Raditz and Vegeta sometimes clash over bullshit Vegeta comes up with - conclusion forgone. Vegeta allowed the discussion because “foolish, uneducated lowborn, I have nothing better to do, entertain me with you stupid ideas.”

\- The war against Tuffles started by a Saiyan named Vega. She was the first, who was granted the privilege of the name Vegeta after she united all the houses by beating up and sometimes killing all the chieftains and leaders. She did not see the end of the war. She was killed by the following Vegeta, who later become the King all Saiyans and father to Prince Vegeta.

\- The political work King Vegeta did was enormous. He completely reformed society, reconstructing it’s mythology to better suite his model of unified power. He was also the one who pushed Saiyans into the total annihilation of Tuffles. Vegeta believed all his claims. 

\- Nappa was a long term friend of King Vegeta. They were together since before the war started. He was one of the very few people who survived not only the war but also Vegeta’s new rule. It may due to the fact that he is somewhat gullible and takes everything for a good coin. 

\- For Vegeta his father was the most important person. He hardly remembers his mother - she was a front line general and not interested in mothering. When she was on the planet she spend most of her time with the king.

\- Vegeta had 7 children in his entourage. Once he was send to the Frieza at least one of them was always by his side. After a two or three months they would return on their home planet and other child or a pair would take their place.  

 - Nappas favorite sister used to garden a lot. She was low in the house hierarchy but he liked her best any way. 


	5. Stray notes on some alien sexualities and reproduction

+: Zarbon’s race, the Kalosians (from planet Kalos), has three genders and four sexes. Kalosian equivalent of marriage is called a household and consist of three people of different genders: the home maker, the hunter and the speaker. The home maker takes care for the young, the hunter provide the food and other necessities, while the speaker represents the household in the community (the work is divided between parties so that everyone has time and energy for hobbies - this is usually to produce something beautiful, as beauty is the most important thing in the Kalosian culture) . Genders are fixed affairs one they are declared when a Kalosian enters the adulthood there is no taking back. The gender is declared either by parents, or in case of orphans by a local community council, and is either based on characteristics displayed by the individual or by community’s needs. Unmatched Kalosians can live in the community, in houses of their parents or in the dormitories, but they don’t have any way to influence political life of the community. Pronouns are he/him for home maker, she/her for the hunter and their/them for the speaker. 

On the other hand Kalosian’s sex changes overtime on the rotating cycle - they don’t switch at random, and healthy Kalosian organism always follows the same pattern of change. They usually enter reproductive age as gammas. Phases last about half a year, unless Kalosian in question is involved in the reproductive activities. All four types of gametes are necessary for reproduction. The missing gametes are either supplemented by an unmatched Kalosian or they are stored for reproduction. Kalosians don’t need to copulate with one another to conceive, but doing the job separately requires more time and effort. Kalosians cannot copulate (or masturbate for that matter) in their “pretty” forms, they need to transform for that. Many are sex repulsed (their transform state is furthest thing from their idea of beauty). Sex outside household is a social taboo, however they are not against sexual pleasure, provided it is outside everyone sight and they do have blooming sex toy industry (blindfolds are very popular).   

Zarbon is an unmatched home maker. He doesn’t want to get matched. He’s also sex-repulsed  asexual, he does not experience sexual attraction or desire, however he is not repulsed by erotic art from other cultures. In fact he has impressive collection of alien porn, which is displayed on Kalos for public view. On his home planet he is considered a hero, as he sends the a lot of beautiful things, mostly art, but also plants and animals (even people, usually artist, who usually can go back home after completing several assignments, but not always; many of those people do not have the home to go back and other are slaves or “exhibits”). Zarbon tries to avoid visiting Kalos, since everyone there wants to get matched to him. 

Zarbon (as well as other Kalosians, but they don’t matter) tend to assign Kalosian genders to others. Taking the three Saiyans as an example: he sees Vegeta as a speaker, Nappa as a hunter and Raditz as a home maker. 

+: Dodoria belongs to the race known as Magentians. They have three sexes, that they only assume at random when they encounter other Magentians - they adjust to one another for the sake of reproduction (note that they need some time for physiological changes to happen). For the rest of the time they are sexless. They also don’t have gender. Magentians are strong, vicious race and they rule over other races wherever they go. They usually leave the fertilized eggs with the parent who has most wealth and social influence and most often the duty of looking over young Magentians falls to their servants.

+: Namekians are chimeras: they consist of at lest two different entities (four, six and so on when they merge), the exceptions are Kami and Piccolo, who split into two different entities, therefore they can only produce offspring that is either mutated, or a clone of themselves. Guru is a chimera of many different Namekian and none of his children are biologically related. 

+: The genetic code of an individual of Frieza’s race evolves overtime. They can have children by themselves and those children are still distinct. 


	6. Still more notes on Saiyans

\- there were about 100 000 Saiyans alive before the destruction of planet Vegeta.

\- King Vegeta was a reformist and a visionary, he and his clique contemplate reshaped Saiyan society making it much more efficient (war machine). By all measures those reforms as well as aims were bad and harmful to Saiyans, but the magnitude of what he did was enormous, beyond precedence as least since the fall of Planet Salada  if not in entire Saiyan history.

\- King Vegeta had been approached by contacts from outside the Planet before he came to the power as the King (or took the name ‘Vegeta’, his original name was Eshalote from the Mightiest Elite House near the Springs of Great Eastern River, son of Vega and Tamen) 

\- the original Saiyan language vanished with the destruction of Salada. Only the names remained.

\- only some children (predominantly small children and babies) have been evacuated from planet Salada. The ship have been badly navigated (Saiyans didn’t have this kind of technology, it was a stolen ship meant for transporting living cargo), but by miraculous coincidence it managed to crash on Planet Plant, but only after refugees run out of food supplies. The situation on this ship was disastrous and so was the state in which Saiyan children arrived on the new planet.  

\- Tuffeles first came into contact with Saiyan children who escaped from the wreckage. They probably meant well but they were met with aggression. Eventually Tuffeles decide to capture some Saiyans and study them. They later based their opinion about Saiyans on that initial assessment. The Tuffles weren’t cruel on purpose, but they didn’t realize needs of the different species and they didn’t realize they were dealing with kids there (Tuffles were small people). They didn’t realized they dealt with distressed, traumatized, ill and hungry children, many of whom were too young to be able to speak. The result of Tuffle initial study weren’t flattering. Worse yet Tuffeles began to brutalize their young captives (some Tuffles charged with keeping Saiyans lost their limbs if not lives to Saiyans, and you might imagine what severely underfed Saiyans did with fresh pieces of meat, and what sort of influence it had on civilized Tuffles), the keepers retaliated. 

\- In the end surviving Saiyan captives were released far away from any Tuffle settlements and made it back to their compatriots. When they were ready to speak, they spread the word about cruelty and imprisonment, about hunger and madness they were subjected to by the Tuffles. The Tuffles in turn decide that the Saiyans were some sort of dangerous and feral, unreasonably strong half-people, best to be left alone and kept away from Tuffle settlements.

\- Tuffles never tried to exploit Saiyans, but the way the managed the planet left very little resources to all the life forms that weren’t Tuffles or domesticated by them. 

\- All the attempts to study Saiyans any further in the period after arrived on Planet Plant were unsuccessful, either by Tuffles or visiting scholars from other planets. Except one. Two Namekian scholars manged to approach a pack of Saiyans. Once they returned to the Tuffle Capitol they were like: dudes, you really need to start to treat those other people, that live or your planet, as actual people and talk to them how to manage your planet and relationship between the two of you. If you don’t and they stop to fight between themselves for like a minute and decide to unite against you, then you’ll have a tragedy, a great war, that one of your species might not survive. To which Tuffles went: nah, they barely know to cover their asses with pieces of animal fur, they don’t even build houses (Saiyans drill in rock formations or adapt already existing caves for housing), what do they know? besides they are impossible to talk to.

\- Those two Namekians left for their home but planned to returned as mediators, with the support of their home planet and other respectable nations of interstellar community, but unfortunately they never managed to gather the support as the disaster on their home planet struck.  

\- Nappa’s House is the Second Elite House, formerly known as Mighty Elite House on the Low Bank of the Great Eastern River.

\- Nappa was King Vegeta’s friend, but he was rather not very progressive, and therefore not a part of King’s clique, which is probably why the King trusted him. 

\- Raditz comes from Seven Hundred Sixty Third Common House, formerly known as the New House House in the Southernmost Valley of the Western Granite Mountains.   

\- When Saiyans properly introduce themselves the give the information in the following order: Name, their position in the House (if they have any), House they belong to, mothers’s name (if they know it and they usually do) or in case of Elites names of both parents (if they know both), giving the name of the strongest, more accomplished parent first and if the occasion is especially formal or if the super want to honor their parent, the position and house of that parent. (For example Raditz introduces himself as “Raditz of the Seven Hundred Sixty Third Common House, formerly known as the New House House in the Southernmost Valley of the Western Granite Mountains, son of Gine, the Host of the Seven Hundred Sixty Third Common House”)

\- Saiyans typically like children, just not enough to take full time responsibility for rising any. This is because Saiyans typically have playful, fun loving personalities (of course there are exceptions) and children are also playful fun loving creatures. 


	7. Some remarks  mainly on Raditz's background

\- Celipa had one son. His name was Bergin he was a very chubby baby and later a chubby child and honestly everyone thought he was the cutest looking child ever (”Bergin” means “well nourished” or “fat”). He was about year younger than Raditz (many children were born in that period as a result of Saiyans celebrating). He and Raditz were nest brothers and they got along rather well. 

-None other member of Bardock’s team has confirmed children. 

\- Bardock and Gine were romantically involved, which is extremely rare among Saiyans. However they only properly developed deeper feelings for one another when Gine was already pregnant. Bardock knew Gine’s baby was his, because Gine wanted to honor him for saving her life and because Gine felt she could trust him (and because she also had a crush on him). Bardock felt responsible for Gine and the well-being of her and their baby. They were drawn together, because they were both more emotionally mature than most other Saiyans. 

\- Raditz figured out, who his father was around the time Gine was pregnant with Kakarot, and Gine confirmed that for him when he asked her. Despite that Bardock never acknowledged their relationship aloud, at least not to Raditz, although he took interest in Raditz’s training and well-being (albeit he mostly demanded too much and he had been too critical with little Raditz). 

-Bardock was serious and grumpy, because he had to deal with other Saiyan’s bullshit all of the time. 

\- Gine was popular among other Saiyan, because she knew how to make others feel good around her. 

\- Their house Relocated to the city about two years after Raditz was born. It was one of the last Houses to relocate. 

\- Life in the city was much more hectic for little Raditz as well as for other Saiyan children. There was a lot of fighting and bullying between the children from different Houses, who now lived to close to avoid each other. That to say it is typical for Saiyan children to bully younger children from the same House, simply because they are stronger, or to beat younger up as punishment - this behavior is hardly ever rectified. Adults only intervene if some child receive life threatening injury. But the children who share a House and especially a nest usually have a sense of responsibility and care towards one another and they avoid creating permanent hostilities, which is significantly limit in-House bullying.

\- All of older children in Raditz’s House were orphans, who lost their Houses during Tuffle War and were taken in when Parents’ generation had been forming a House, making Raditz the first child that had actually been born in the House. All the kids were excited about the new baby and squabbled over the privilege and responsibility to be his primary hunting teachers (that basically means carrying the baby around and paying attention what the little one puts in their mouth). Being a hunting teacher for the baby is a status symbol among Saiyan children. It means you are big, strong and smart enough to make baby safe (an beat up any other child, who might attempt to take the baby away from you... or to get the baby back). 

\- Raditz had been born around the moon, during the period, when the full moon had been visible on the sky.  

\- Raditz earliest memory is a happy one from when he was about six months old (a season). Bardock’s team picked him from the ground and an throw him around (like a ball) between themselves (it’s a typical way adult Saiyans interact with babies and very small children, who cannot fly yet).  

\- Raditz was really excited to have a brother. He could stand in front of gestation pod and speak to Kakarot (or brag about himself) if the later had his eyes open. Sometimes Gine would take Kakarot out and would let the two play. Raditz had been expecting to play the role of hunting teacher for Kakaror. Needless to say he was very disappointed, when Bardock and Gine send Kakarot away.  


	8. Basic character sheets for Saiyan characters appearing in the story

**Raditz:**  
race: Saiyan   
birth place: Planet Plant, later known as Planet Vegeta  
date of birth, age (in Earth years): exact date unknown - by the end of Tsufuru War, before the Great Moon (he is between 2-3 years older than Vegeta, around 30 when the story starts  
social status: Low Class Warrior of common house, technically the leader of the house by the time story starts (by the virtue of being oldest and strongest of the house, who is still alive), mid-rank by the standards of PTO  
occupation: Warrior   
affiliation: Saiyan Army (later known as Saiyan Force or Vegeta Force), PTO  
known family: Bardock, Gine, Kakarot, Gohan  
gender: undefined /none*  
pronouns: he, they**  
sex (reproductive function): male/beta*** (of binary species)  
sexual orientation: undefined # (note: enjoys sexual activities, sexually active)  
romantic orientation: none/ undefined ##  
favorite food: fresh fruits, of sweet kind.

 **Gohan:**  
born as Son Gohan  
race: Saiyan-Human hybrid, initially raised human, later Saiyan  
birthplace: Earth  
date of birth, age: about four years before the start of the story, he is 4 when the story starts  
social status: child of respectable family on earth (low-rank by the standards of PTO  
affiliation: Saiyan Force (Vegeta Force)  
known family: Son Goku ChiChi, Ox King, Bardock, Gine, Raditz, Son Gohan  
gender: male  
pronouns: he  
sex (reproductive function): male/beta*** (of binary species)  
sexual orientation: undefined (note: definitely too young for sexual experience)  
romantic orientation: undefined (note: lack of opportunity to experience romance, probably too young for it any way)  
favorite food: tuna made by his mom.

 **Vegeta:**  
race: Saiyan  
birthplace: Planet Vegeta, formerly Planet Plant  
date of birth, age: around 28 years when the story starts  
social status: Prince of All Saiyans, leader of remaining Saiyans,  high elite by standards of PTO  
affiliation: Saiyan Force (Vegeta Force), Frieza Force, PTO  
occupation: Warrior, commanding officer, prince  
known family: King Vegeta, his grandmother Vega (who started unification of the All Saiyans)  
gender: undefined/none*  
pronouns: he, they**  
sex (reproductive function): male/beta*** (of binary species)  
sexual orientation: undefined# (note: he does experience attraction, he is often, but not all the time sex repulsed, he is not completely inactive but goes though long periods of celibacy)  
romantic orientation: undefined ##  
favorite food: squid or octopus based dishes

 **Nappa:**  
race: Saiyan  
birthplace: Planet Plant, later known as Planet Vegeta  
date of birth, age: his around 65 when the story starts  
social status: Saiyan General, Prince Vegeta's aide, Elite Saiyan Warrior from elite house, Head Leader of the house before its extinction , elite rank by PTO standards  
affiliation: Saiyan Army (later known as Saiyan Force or Vegeta Force), PTO  
occupation: Warrior   
known family: his mother  
gender: undefined /none*  
pronouns: he, they**  
sex (reproductive function): male/beta*** (of binary species)  
sexual orientation: undefined # (note: enjoys sexual activities, sexually active)  
romantic orientation: none/ undefined ##  
favorite food: traditional Saiyan sweet stew with meat of huge reptiles and vegetables, served with booze.

 **Son Goku:**  
born as Kakarot  
race: Saiyan, Human by adoption  
birth place: Planet Vegeta, formerly Planet Plant  
date of birth, age: about two and half years before the destruction of planet Vegeta (he is about 3 years younger than Vegeta and at least 5 years younger than Raditz, he is around 24-25 when the story starts  
social status: born in common house, rocket child, renown martial artist on Earth, mid-income on Earth  
occupation: martial artist, warrior, adventurer, vegetable farmer  
affiliation: Kame School of Martial Arts, his family  
known family: Son Gohan (adopted Grandfather), ChiChi, Ox King, Gohan (son); unknown to him: Bardock, Gine, Raditz  
gender: male  
pronouns: he  
sex (reproductive function): male/beta*** (of binary species)  
sexual orientation: demisexual?  
romantic orientation: demiromantic??  
favorite food: anything his wife cooks, especially with lots of meat.

* * *

*Saiyans didn't really develop concept of gender  (per legal regulation in recent years before destruction of their culture the concept began to form, but still without much hold in the society)

**per language conventions (not personal preference)

*** “beta” indicates secondary role in the reproductive process, for both humans and Saiyans “alpha” translates female, while “beta” to male. This nomenclature exists in PTO and other interstellar organisations, because many species have more that two type necessary for reproduction. Note that there are also species who have shifting sex (it can go randomly, according to some pattern or a will) or emerging sex (depending on the circumstances or at will)

#Saiyan culture did not have the concept of sexual orientation, sexual identity or sexual attraction

##No concept of romance, romantic attraction or romantic relationships either.

  
?/??he was raised in human culture so human terms apply to him. It is unknown if he knows appropriate terms to describe his experience and he hypothetically could understand himself in those terms.


	9. Saiyan Kiss - a little bonus chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> here you have a little side chapter for the fic. Chronologically it happens some time after upcoming chapter 10.
> 
> Additionally if you are interested I posted a little ficlet titled "Bardock gets home" in the "Recocovey - a loose collection of small stories" - itch chapter 6 (since "Recovery" and "You cannot take it back makes it undone" share the same backstory for Raditz)

Raditz had a long and tiring day that unfortunately hadn’t been over yet as he still had to peel hanfa pods from their wrappings for their meal next day. The pods were very nutritious and tasty but they needed to soak in the water for several hour before they could be eaten or cooked, not to mentioned to preserve freshness they need to be stored in wrappings and peeling the damned things off took forever.

Gohan had been helping him. They boy sat quietly on the counter nearby over his own bowl of hanfa. Raditz paid him little mind entangled in his own thoughts and memories, not of the happy kind. He didn’t notice when the kid stopped his work and moved closer to him. Only the touch of a tiny hand on his elbow broke him out of his reverie. 

“What d’you want?” he asked Gohan.

Gohan looked at him with childish seriousness and maybe a bit of worry. “I can give you a Saiyan kiss if you want,” Gohan said.

“You want to give me a kiss? Why?” 

“Well not a real kiss, a Saiyan kiss.” Gohan squirmed apprehensively. “You are sad so maybe it’ll make you feel better.”

Raditz glared at Gohan inquisitively. The child shrank under his gaze. Raditz was surprised how good Gohan was at picking his moods. He wasn’t used to others paying attention to his emotional state, much less caring. He had no idea to what this ‘Saiyan kiss’ was supposed to refer to but he figured there was no harm in finding out. 

“Whatever,” Raditz shrugged. “Fine.”

Gohan stood up on the counter and moved to face Raditz. He reached out and brought Raditz head close to his own until they were close enough and then he touched Raditz temple with his own. They were looking over ones’ another back. Involuntary Raditz smiled at the tender gesture. So this was ‘Saiyan kiss’. Raditz had no idea why Gohan called it that - it had nothing to do with kissing! Children. Raditz wrapped his arms around Gohan’s back and pressed their temples closer.

“How is it?” Gohan asked after a while.

“Good.” Raditz pushed Gohan away gently. “Enough, we still have a chore to finish.” Gohan offered him a shy smile and sat back to his bowl of hanfa. Raditz observed him at work. Gohan was so... Raditz couldn’t find a word for it. He shown awareness of others and willingness to take action to better their situation. Raditz was sure he knew appropriate word, but he couldn’t quite recall it. It was a good quality in a teammate, and certainly would be invaluable if Gohan had younger nest sibling to rise. But it wasn’t something warriors would show appreciation of and others might try to exploit it for their gain. Raditz wasn’t sure what to do about it. Should he punish Gohan to eliminate such behavior in the future or do the contrary and reward him to foster it? It wasn’t the kind of problem he anticipated when he had decided to take responsibility for Gohan.  

Eventually Raditz decided to let it be, It didn’t felt fair to punish Gohan for it and the display of affection just felt to damn good. Maybe his was selfish on his part. But maybe it was okay.

 

* * *

 

 

the word Raditz looks for could be ‘kind’ or ‘compassionate’ - not the kind of vocabulary he often encounters. His understanding of those terms is somewhat vague. 


End file.
